⁴ “I will make mere youths their officials;
    children will rule over them.”^(K)

⁵ People will oppress each other—
    man against man, neighbor against neighbor.^(L)
The young will rise up against the old,
    the nobody against the honored.

⁶ A man will seize one of his brothers
    in his father’s house, and say,
“You have a cloak, you be our leader;
    take charge of this heap of ruins!”
⁷ But in that day^(M) he will cry out,
    “I have no remedy.^(N)
I have no food^(O) or clothing in my house;
    do not make me the leader of the people.”^(P)

⁸ Jerusalem staggers,
    Judah is falling;^(Q)
their words^(R) and deeds^(S) are against the Lord,
    defying^(T) his glorious presence.
⁹ The look on their faces testifies^(U) against them;
    they parade their sin like Sodom;^(V)
    they do not hide it.
Woe to them!
    They have brought disaster^(W) upon themselves.

¹⁰ Tell the righteous it will be well^(X) with them,
    for they will enjoy the fruit of their deeds.^(Y)
11 Woe to the wicked!^(Z)
    Disaster^(AA) is upon them!
They will be paid back^(AB)
    for what their hands have done.^(AC)

¹² Youths^(AD) oppress my people,
    women rule over them.
My people, your guides lead you astray;^(AE)
    they turn you from the path.

¹³ The Lord takes his place in court;^(AF)
    he rises to judge^(AG) the people.
¹⁴ The Lord enters into judgment^(AH)
    against the elders and leaders of his people:
“It is you who have ruined my vineyard;
    the plunder^(AI) from the poor^(AJ) is in your houses.
¹⁵ What do you mean by crushing my people^(AK)
    and grinding^(AL) the faces of the poor?”^(AM)
declares the Lord, the Lord Almighty.^(AN)

¹⁶ The Lord says,
    “The women of Zion^(AO) are haughty,
walking along with outstretched necks,^(AP)
    flirting with their eyes,
strutting along with swaying hips,
    with ornaments jingling on their ankles.
¹⁷ Therefore the Lord will bring sores on the heads of the women of Zion;
    the Lord will make their scalps bald.^(AQ)”

²⁴ Instead of fragrance^(BA) there will be a stench;^(BB)
    instead of a sash,^(BC) a rope;
instead of well-dressed hair, baldness;^(BD)
    instead of fine clothing, sackcloth;^(BE)
    instead of beauty,^(BF) branding.^(BG)
25 Your men will fall by the sword,^(BH)
    your warriors in battle.^(BI)
26 The gates^(BJ) of Zion will lament and mourn;^(BK)
    destitute,^(BL) she will sit on the ground.^(BM)

³ “Now you dwellers in Jerusalem and people of Judah,
    judge between me and my vineyard.^(CU)
4 What more could have been done for my vineyard
    than I have done for it?^(CV)
When I looked for good grapes,
    why did it yield only bad?^(CW)
5 Now I will tell you
    what I am going to do to my vineyard:
I will take away its hedge,
    and it will be destroyed;^(CX)
I will break down its wall,^(CY)
    and it will be trampled.^(CZ)
6 I will make it a wasteland,^(DA)
    neither pruned nor cultivated,
    and briers and thorns^(DB) will grow there.
I will command the clouds
    not to rain^(DC) on it.”

⁷ The vineyard^(DD) of the Lord Almighty
    is the nation of Israel,
and the people of Judah
    are the vines he delighted in.
And he looked for justice,^(DE) but saw bloodshed;
    for righteousness,^(DF) but heard cries of distress.^(DG)

“Surely the great houses will become desolate,^(DL)
    the fine mansions left without occupants.
¹⁰ A ten-acre vineyard will produce only a bath^[d] of wine;
    a homer^[e] of seed will yield only an ephah^[f] of grain.”^(DM)

¹¹ Woe^(DN) to those who rise early in the morning
    to run after their drinks,
who stay up late at night
    till they are inflamed with wine.^(DO)
12 They have harps and lyres at their banquets,
    pipes^(DP) and timbrels^(DQ) and wine,
but they have no regard^(DR) for the deeds of the Lord,
    no respect for the work of his hands.^(DS)
13 Therefore my people will go into exile^(DT)
    for lack of understanding;^(DU)
those of high rank^(DV) will die of hunger
    and the common people will be parched with thirst.^(DW)
14 Therefore Death^(DX) expands its jaws,
    opening wide its mouth;^(DY)
into it will descend their nobles and masses
    with all their brawlers and revelers.^(DZ)
15 So people will be brought low^(EA)
    and everyone humbled,^(EB)
    the eyes of the arrogant^(EC) humbled.
¹⁶ But the Lord Almighty will be exalted^(ED) by his justice,^(EE)
    and the holy God will be proved holy^(EF) by his righteous acts.
¹⁷ Then sheep will graze as in their own pasture;^(EG)
    lambs will feed^[g] among the ruins of the rich.

¹⁸ Woe^(EH) to those who draw sin along with cords^(EI) of deceit,
    and wickedness^(EJ) as with cart ropes,
¹⁹ to those who say, “Let God hurry;
    let him hasten^(EK) his work
    so we may see it.
The plan of the Holy One^(EL) of Israel—
    let it approach, let it come into view,
    so we may know it.”^(EM)

²⁰ Woe^(EN) to those who call evil good^(EO)
    and good evil,^(EP)
who put darkness for light
    and light for darkness,^(EQ)
who put bitter for sweet
    and sweet for bitter.^(ER)

²¹ Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes^(ES)
    and clever in their own sight.

²² Woe to those who are heroes at drinking wine^(ET)
    and champions at mixing drinks,^(EU)
23 who acquit the guilty for a bribe,^(EV)
    but deny justice^(EW) to the innocent.^(EX)
24 Therefore, as tongues of fire^(EY) lick up straw^(EZ)
    and as dry grass sinks down in the flames,
so their roots will decay^(FA)
    and their flowers blow away like dust;^(FB)
for they have rejected the law of the Lord Almighty
    and spurned the word^(FC) of the Holy One^(FD) of Israel.
²⁵ Therefore the Lord’s anger^(FE) burns against his people;
    his hand is raised and he strikes them down.
The mountains shake,^(FF)
    and the dead bodies^(FG) are like refuse^(FH) in the streets.^(FI)

Yet for all this, his anger is not turned away,^(FJ)
    his hand is still upraised.^(FK)

²⁶ He lifts up a banner^(FL) for the distant nations,
    he whistles^(FM) for those at the ends of the earth.^(FN)
Here they come,
    swiftly and speedily!
²⁷ Not one of them grows tired^(FO) or stumbles,
    not one slumbers or sleeps;
not a belt^(FP) is loosened at the waist,^(FQ)
    not a sandal strap is broken.^(FR)
28 Their arrows are sharp,^(FS)
    all their bows^(FT) are strung;
their horses’ hooves^(FU) seem like flint,
    their chariot wheels like a whirlwind.^(FV)
29 Their roar is like that of the lion,^(FW)
    they roar like young lions;
they growl as they seize^(FX) their prey
    and carry it off with no one to rescue.^(FY)
30 In that day^(FZ) they will roar over it
    like the roaring of the sea.^(GA)
And if one looks at the land,
    there is only darkness^(GB) and distress;^(GC)
    even the sun will be darkened^(GD) by clouds.

“Holy, holy^(GM), holy is the Lord Almighty;^(GN)
    the whole earth^(GO) is full of his glory.”^(GP)

“Until the cities lie ruined^(HM)
    and without inhabitant,
until the houses are left deserted^(HN)
    and the fields ruined and ravaged,^(HO)
12 until the Lord has sent everyone far away^(HP)
    and the land is utterly forsaken.^(HQ)
13 And though a tenth remains^(HR) in the land,
    it will again be laid waste.^(HS)
But as the terebinth and oak
    leave stumps^(HT) when they are cut down,
    so the holy^(HU) seed will be the stump in the land.”^(HV)

“‘It will not take place,
    it will not happen,^(IP)
8 for the head of Aram is Damascus,^(IQ)
    and the head of Damascus is only Rezin.^(IR)
Within sixty-five years
    Ephraim will be too shattered^(IS) to be a people.
⁹ The head of Ephraim is Samaria,^(IT)
    and the head of Samaria is only Remaliah’s son.
If you do not stand^(IU) firm in your faith,^(IV)
    you will not stand at all.’”^(IW)

⁶ “Because this people has rejected^(KV)
    the gently flowing waters of Shiloah^(KW)
and rejoices over Rezin
    and the son of Remaliah,^(KX)
7 therefore the Lord is about to bring against them
    the mighty floodwaters^(KY) of the Euphrates—
    the king of Assyria^(KZ) with all his pomp.^(LA)
It will overflow all its channels,
    run over all its banks^(LB)
8 and sweep on into Judah, swirling over it,^(LC)
    passing through it and reaching up to the neck.
Its outspread wings^(LD) will cover the breadth of your land,
    Immanuel^[q]!”^(LE)

⁹ Raise the war cry,^[r](LF) you nations, and be shattered!^(LG)
    Listen, all you distant lands.
Prepare^(LH) for battle, and be shattered!
    Prepare for battle, and be shattered!
¹⁰ Devise your strategy, but it will be thwarted;^(LI)
    propose your plan, but it will not stand,^(LJ)
    for God is with us.^[s](LK)

¹² “Do not call conspiracy^(LN)
    everything this people calls a conspiracy;
do not fear what they fear,^(LO)
    and do not dread it.^(LP)
13 The Lord Almighty is the one you are to regard as holy,^(LQ)
    he is the one you are to fear,^(LR)
    he is the one you are to dread.^(LS)
14 He will be a holy place;^(LT)
    for both Israel and Judah he will be
a stone^(LU) that causes people to stumble^(LV)
    and a rock that makes them fall.^(LW)
And for the people of Jerusalem he will be
    a trap and a snare.^(LX)
15 Many of them will stumble;^(LY)
    they will fall and be broken,
    they will be snared and captured.”

¹⁶ Bind up this testimony of warning^(LZ)
    and seal^(MA) up God’s instruction among my disciples.
¹⁷ I will wait^(MB) for the Lord,
    who is hiding^(MC) his face from the descendants of Jacob.
I will put my trust in him.^(MD)

² The people walking in darkness^(MW)
    have seen a great light;^(MX)
on those living in the land of deep darkness^(MY)
    a light has dawned.^(MZ)
3 You have enlarged the nation^(NA)
    and increased their joy;^(NB)
they rejoice before you
    as people rejoice at the harvest,
as warriors rejoice
    when dividing the plunder.^(NC)
4 For as in the day of Midian’s defeat,^(ND)
    you have shattered^(NE)
the yoke^(NF) that burdens them,
    the bar across their shoulders,^(NG)
    the rod of their oppressor.^(NH)
5 Every warrior’s boot used in battle
    and every garment rolled in blood
will be destined for burning,^(NI)
    will be fuel for the fire.
⁶ For to us a child is born,^(NJ)
    to us a son is given,^(NK)
    and the government^(NL) will be on his shoulders.^(NM)
And he will be called
    Wonderful Counselor,^(NN) Mighty God,^(NO)
    Everlasting^(NP) Father,^(NQ) Prince of Peace.^(NR)
7 Of the greatness of his government^(NS) and peace^(NT)
    there will be no end.^(NU)
He will reign^(NV) on David’s throne
    and over his kingdom,
establishing and upholding it
    with justice^(NW) and righteousness^(NX)
    from that time on and forever.^(NY)
The zeal^(NZ) of the Lord Almighty
    will accomplish this.

Yet for all this, his anger^(OL) is not turned away,
    his hand is still upraised.^(OM)

¹³ But the people have not returned^(ON) to him who struck^(OO) them,
    nor have they sought^(OP) the Lord Almighty.
¹⁴ So the Lord will cut off from Israel both head and tail,
    both palm branch and reed^(OQ) in a single day;^(OR)
15 the elders^(OS) and dignitaries^(OT) are the head,
    the prophets^(OU) who teach lies^(OV) are the tail.
¹⁶ Those who guide^(OW) this people mislead them,
    and those who are guided are led astray.^(OX)
17 Therefore the Lord will take no pleasure in the young men,^(OY)
    nor will he pity^(OZ) the fatherless and widows,
for everyone is ungodly^(PA) and wicked,^(PB)
    every mouth speaks folly.^(PC)

Yet for all this, his anger is not turned away,
    his hand is still upraised.^(PD)

¹⁸ Surely wickedness burns like a fire;^(PE)
    it consumes briers and thorns,^(PF)
it sets the forest thickets ablaze,^(PG)
    so that it rolls upward in a column of smoke.
¹⁹ By the wrath^(PH) of the Lord Almighty
    the land will be scorched^(PI)
and the people will be fuel for the fire;^(PJ)
    they will not spare one another.^(PK)
20 On the right they will devour,
    but still be hungry;^(PL)
on the left they will eat,^(PM)
    but not be satisfied.
Each will feed on the flesh of their own offspring^[u]:
²¹     Manasseh will feed on Ephraim, and Ephraim on Manasseh;^(PN)
    together they will turn against Judah.^(PO)

Yet for all this, his anger is not turned away,
    his hand is still upraised.^(PP)

10 Woe^(PQ) to those who make unjust laws,
    to those who issue oppressive decrees,^(PR)
2 to deprive^(PS) the poor of their rights
    and withhold justice from the oppressed of my people,^(PT)
making widows their prey
    and robbing the fatherless.^(PU)
3 What will you do on the day of reckoning,^(PV)
    when disaster^(PW) comes from afar?
To whom will you run for help?^(PX)
    Where will you leave your riches?
⁴ Nothing will remain but to cringe among the captives^(PY)
    or fall among the slain.^(PZ)

Yet for all this, his anger is not turned away,^(QA)
    his hand is still upraised.

“‘By the strength of my hand^(RA) I have done this,^(RB)
    and by my wisdom, because I have understanding.
I removed the boundaries of nations,
    I plundered their treasures;^(RC)
    like a mighty one I subdued^[v] their kings.^(RD)
14 As one reaches into a nest,^(RE)
    so my hand reached for the wealth^(RF) of the nations;
as people gather abandoned eggs,
    so I gathered all the countries;^(RG)
not one flapped a wing,
    or opened its mouth to chirp.^(RH)’”

¹⁵ Does the ax raise itself above the person who swings it,
    or the saw boast against the one who uses it?^(RI)
As if a rod were to wield the person who lifts it up,
    or a club^(RJ) brandish the one who is not wood!
¹⁶ Therefore, the Lord, the Lord Almighty,
    will send a wasting disease^(RK) upon his sturdy warriors;^(RL)
under his pomp^(RM) a fire^(RN) will be kindled
    like a blazing flame.
¹⁷ The Light of Israel will become a fire,^(RO)
    their Holy One^(RP) a flame;
in a single day it will burn and consume
    his thorns^(RQ) and his briers.^(RR)
18 The splendor of his forests^(RS) and fertile fields
    it will completely destroy,^(RT)
    as when a sick person wastes away.
¹⁹ And the remaining trees of his forests^(RU) will be so few^(RV)
    that a child could write them down.

“My people who live in Zion,^(SK)
    do not be afraid^(SL) of the Assyrians,
who beat^(SM) you with a rod^(SN)
    and lift up a club against you, as Egypt did.
²⁵ Very soon^(SO) my anger against you will end
    and my wrath^(SP) will be directed to their destruction.^(SQ)”

²⁶ The Lord Almighty will lash^(SR) them with a whip,
    as when he struck down Midian^(SS) at the rock of Oreb;
and he will raise his staff^(ST) over the waters,^(SU)
    as he did in Egypt.
²⁷ In that day^(SV) their burden^(SW) will be lifted from your shoulders,
    their yoke^(SX) from your neck;^(SY)
the yoke^(SZ) will be broken
    because you have grown so fat.^[x]

²⁸ They enter Aiath;
    they pass through Migron;^(TA)
    they store supplies^(TB) at Mikmash.^(TC)
29 They go over the pass, and say,
    “We will camp overnight at Geba.^(TD)”
Ramah^(TE) trembles;
    Gibeah^(TF) of Saul flees.^(TG)
30 Cry out, Daughter Gallim!^(TH)
    Listen, Laishah!
    Poor Anathoth!^(TI)
31 Madmenah is in flight;
    the people of Gebim take cover.
³² This day they will halt at Nob;^(TJ)
    they will shake their fist^(TK)
at the mount of Daughter Zion,^(TL)
    at the hill of Jerusalem.

³³ See, the Lord, the Lord Almighty,
    will lop off^(TM) the boughs with great power.
The lofty trees will be felled,^(TN)
    the tall^(TO) ones will be brought low.^(TP)
34 He will cut down^(TQ) the forest thickets with an ax;
    Lebanon^(TR) will fall before the Mighty One.^(TS)

If we died with him,
    we will also live with him;^(T)
12 if we endure,
    we will also reign with him.^(U)
If we disown him,
    he will also disown us;^(V)
13 if we are faithless,
    he remains faithful,^(W)
    for he cannot disown himself.